The lowly Tater Tot, that frozen potato product, is enjoying quite the revolution these days, from bars around San Francisco to restaurants across the country.

I was tucking into some mac and cheese at Bullitt in San Francisco recently when I happened upon a few tots. That unmistakable taste - a combination of grease and salt and crunch - shouted out from the bowl: Look at me! Look at me!

One restaurant in Atlanta, the Nook, has gone so far as to trademark the term "Totchos." (The actual Tater Tots, of course, are trademarked by Ore-Ida.) The Nook even sells their tots online, so you can have, say, "Redneck Totchos" - mesquite smoked pork, barbecue sauce, jalapenos and cheese sauce - shipped right to your door.

The beauty of the tots is that they're so versatile. Bake or fry them, then top with whatever you fancy, from salsa to guacamole to Buffalo wings sauce.

The latter is the inspiration behind the "Tommy Tots" served at the Pub at Ghirardelli Square. Owner-chef Scott Broccoli deep-fries the tots, then tosses them in a dressing made with Buffalo wing sauce, sweet chili sauce and blue cheese crumbles.

Tommy Tots

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

These buffalo-style Tater Tots are adapted from Scott Broccoli, chef/owner of The Pub at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. Broccoli likes to serve the deep-fried, sweet and spicy tots with a side of blue cheese dressing. Just make sure to serve immediately, as the tots will lose their crunch the longer they sit.